rTMS for Tinnitus
rTMS for Anxiety Disorders
Tinnitus is often experienced as a ringing, roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing in one’s ears. It affects up to 19% of the population and can cause significant psychological distress (1).
TMS for tinnitus involves short daily appointments for two weeks followed by less frequent maintenance treatments. The initial course may be longer if co-morbid depression is also treated.
Tinnitus is a symptom caused by a problem in the auditory system – this can be anywhere from the ear to the parts of the brain that process sound. Abnormal brain activity in the brain’s auditory centre can contribute. Tinnitus can result from numerous health conditions, such as hearing loss, built-up ear wax, sinus infections, Ménière’s disease, brain tumours, hormonal changes, or thyroid abnormalities. However, many patients struggle with tinnitus even when the cause is found and treated.
With rTMS, we can modulate hyperactive auditory neurons in the brain’s hearing center that may be contributing, resulting in a significant reduction of tinnitus.
Treatment of tinnitus is aimed at managing the underlying cause. There is currently no FDA-approved drug treatment for tinnitus.
rTMS is currently being studied for the treatment of tinnitus. A recent systematic review of 1228 patients from 29 studies found that rTMS is an effective treatment for tinnitus (1).
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive, highly effective treatment that uses electromagnetic impulses that pass easily through the skull to stimulate abnormal brain activity without any systematic side effects or downtime.
- Liang, Z., Yang, H., Cheng, G., Huang, L., Zhang, T., & Jia, H. (2020). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on chronic tinnitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC psychiatry, 20(1), 1-13.
